Ageing in Australia: Health, Policies, Challenges, and Solutions

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the ageing population in Australia. It begins by examining the demographic changes, including the increasing number and proportion of older adults, and discusses the challenges related to health, healthcare costs, and the impact of new technologies and global growth. The report then analyzes the policy responses to these challenges, including the national strategy for ageing, the role of local governments, and the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA). It also explores the roles and rights of older people, the issues they face, and potential solutions. The report highlights the importance of addressing inter-generational equity and ensuring that older Australians have access to employment, training, and care services to optimize their quality of life. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing policy development and public support to meet the needs of Australia's ageing population.

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Running Head: Ageing MPH
Ageing MPH
Ageing in Australia and Policies

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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Age Structure in Australia............................................................................................................................2
Health and Policy Challenges in the Ageing Population...........................................................................4
Policy Responses to the Issues....................................................................................................................5
MIPPA......................................................................................................................................................6
Roles and Rights of Older People................................................................................................................7
Participation of Older People Enabling....................................................................................................8
Solutions for Older people’s rights to be protected................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
The population of Australia has been increasing rapidly since the 20th Century. It has grown to
become 18.70 million from 3.70 million since then. The growth of the population went up at the
time of world war II and the lowest was in the time of 1930’s (1). In the time of 20th Centaury,
two third of the population could be credited to the natural increment which was births as
compared to deaths. Nevertheless, the fertility and the morality rates underwent the important
changes and at the same time the other main factor which was net overseas migration got
fluctuated wildly.
Age Structure in Australia
In the year 2017, there were approximately 4 million people who were of the age above 65 and
this is approximately 15% of the total population in Australia. This git increased since 1927 from
3,20,000 to 1.2 million till 1977. Still the number of old age people is expected to grow till 2050.
It is estimated that by the year 2050, there would be 8.9 million people who will be old aged and
the percentage of the total older people would rise up to 22% of the total population and by the
year 2097, it will go up to 13 million people which is 25% of the total population (2).

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Older Australia Population
Source: (Google, 2018).
As the population increases including the older people, the profile is also expected to change in
the coming time. As already seen, 57% people were aged in between 65 – 74 years of age, one
third people are of 75 – 84 years of age and then there are 13% of the people who are above 85
years of age (3).
Demographics: It is a well-known fact that women live longer as compared to men. It can be
clearly seen in the life expectancy and most clearly in the older aged groups. In the year 2017,
there were mostly women who aged 65 -74 which becomes approximately 51% of the total
population in old aged people. This in the year 2018 rose up to become 63%. The ratio of women
who were old aged was at peak in the year 1968 when the number of old aged women went up to
65 and over. This ratio is actually declining since that year (4).
The changing population profile of Australia took place between a number of the interacting
changes happening in the family unit. Since the year 1970, young children are dependent on
their parents or their families, the couples actually delay marriages and also the rate of the people
being married is decreased. The divorce rates are also fluctuating since a few years and sharing
has always been predominant yet it is predicted to end in separation and also not predicted to end

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in marriages in past. Single people ratio in terms of living alone with no partners due to divorce
and breakups from the connections are actually rising up. These rising up proportions of couples
have few if there are any children in the family. Women also have their first kid born when they
are mostly above 30 years of age (5).
The patterns in working have also changed in a very dramatic manner in the last 10 years.
Women are entering into the corporate world a lot these days though the trend has leveled up for
the women who are aged 20 to 45. In the contradiction to that, the labor force involvement of
men who age 50 or more are leveled out. In addition to that, the migrants had low labor force
involvement rates for all type of age groups only excluding the 45 to 54 years of age and the
people who were born out in other countries which were English speaking and had high
employment rates. However, the government of Australia had put more focus on the targeting of
young talented migrants with skills like language and good communication and also the labor
market results of presently arrived migrants have also become better (6).
Australia's Growing Population

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Source: (Google, 2018).
Health and Policy Challenges in the Ageing Population
The population which is ageing challenges the capability of the health services in order to
maintain health and well-being and also to manage the illness and gives support for the disabled.
Health Care costs: The population that is ageing is not the major issue when it comes to
contributing in the health costs. The financial report of the Treasury intergeneration says that
ageing population has only a very small expenditure. Nevertheless, the chronic diseases that are
linked with the ageing pose medical and also the managerial challenges (7).
New Technology: The advanced technology also rises up the health care costs. The advances that
are diagnostic like radiological scanners and biological therapeutics mostly keep on adding the
costs in the health care. The more the usage of these things are, the more the costs are raised in
the community.
Global Growth: The speedy spreading of the urban Australian people are also making the
challenges for the healthy communities. The urbanization which is increasing day after day
particularly when no attention is paid to the pedestrian amenities, food that is fresh, potential
population etc. is linked with the high rates of being obese, asthmatic and depressed (8).
Inequality and Equity: Irrespective of the average life expectancy that is achieved in the present
decades, gains in health is not equally shared all over the population of Australia. Women are the
ones who always do better than men. They are well educated and their neighbors live always do
better in their life. Indigenous Australians are the ones who live their life averagely since 20
years less than other Australians (9).
Policy Responses to the Issues
The reliability on the age pension is the major source of the income which is continued for some
time now and will continue in the future as well and also the government clearly plans for the
cost. This is to be noted that nevertheless, the Australians are yet to become completely

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demographically mature society and also it adds up a little for the overall costs of the population
that is ageing (10).
There is another policy focus which is to enable the older people to work in communities. The
retirement provisions could be revised and this would always enable the retired people to work in
order to earn the benefits and also so that they can work on the paid basis with no penalizing.
This will always refer to the harmonization of work with new income benefit.
The future of focusing on the ageing of Australia that is most likely to visit a mixture of
additional public outlay, improved self-provision and augmented operator custodies. Questions
about inter-generational equity will, nevertheless, endure (11).
The government of Australia has created a strategy nationally for the ageing of Australia for
giving the coordinated answer to the issues that surrounds ageing population and ensures that the
excellence of life for aged persons, synchronization between generation is maintained. The
policy classifies wide-ranging zones of change and also the issues that are to be addressed. These
include:
 The work force that is ageing and the requirement of action as the supply of young new
applicants drops in a dramatic manner for the growth of the economy and competition in
the global economy is continue to increase day after day (12).
 The requirement of the apt level of sustainable sources like retirement money for the
support of the retirement living.
 The requirement for the assertive person and the public approaches for ageing.
 The requirement for age-friendly substructure & public backing (counting housing,
conveyance and infrastructures), to permit better sums of elder Australians to contribute
in & endure linked to civilization (13).
 The prominence of vigorous ageing to permit larger number of grownup public to
continue being healthful & self-regulating.
 Developing requirement for manageable, suitable & high excellence health and aged care
assistances.
National strategy principles

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 The Australian populace that is ageing is important factor which is to be addressed by the
government, firms and the society on the whole.
 All the people of Australia irrespective of the age must have the entrance to the
employment, training, new learnings and information, conveyance, cultural chances and
the care services which are apt to maintain their different needs for enabling them to
optimize their quality of life for the entire time that they live.
 There should be more opportunities that exists in the nation for meeting up with the
economy of Australia.
 There should be both public and private additions which are needed and the aspirations of
the old aged Australia (14).
 The programs which are public should supplement instead of an supplant.
 There should be a strong knowledge policy replies to the ageing population.
 The delivery of the services and the annuities for the populace that’s is ageing should be
reasonable for their whole life to live in the current economy and growth (15).
Australian Local Government Connotation Populace
Ageing Action Plan
By having the funding of the Australian government particularly with the health care deportment
of ageing & also the discussion of the local government connotations, the local government of
Australia has created a local government population ageing action plan in the year 2004 to 2008.
The major factors that involved were: to create the awareness, to motivate the local government
action, to improve the information access and lastly to evaluate and monitor effectively (16).
MIPPA
In the year 2008 on July 15th, the congress acted the Medicare improvement for the patients and
providers act of 2008 which is also known as MIPPA in short. It is a multi-faceted piece of the
legislation that contains few significant provisions which can variate the Medicare program and
owed federal funding for the state health insurance assistance programs. The involvement of the
ADRC’s and the technical resource center that is run by the national council on ageing is also
there for giving out the outreach to low income Medicare benefits (17).

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MIPPA also undergoes total 6 rounds of the funding from the time its enactment happened in the
year 2008.
All states are allocated funding based on a formula that takes into account each state’s Medicare
population. The most current MIPPA reauthorization comes from the Bipartisan Budget Act of
2018, Pub. Law 115-123, enacted on February 9, 2018. This legislation extends MIPPA funding
for outreach and enrollment for two years, through fiscal year 2019.
Roles and Rights of Ageing People
The human rights are about every individual and they are the most important when it comes to
the older people in Australia. Every one entitled to enjoy the human rights with no discrimination
of any kind involving the discrimination on the basis of their age. There are certain type of
human rights and liberty which is certainly apt for the older people involving the rights to:
 Enough standard of living involving the access to enough food, clothes and houses.
 The high probable standard of physical mental health
 Work environment and the fair conditions.
 Safety and permitted from violence (18).
 Liberty from the painful and disrespectful conduct.
 Privacy
 Life which involves family.
Issues Older People face: There are some of the major human rights which are faced by the
older people in Australia. Some of them involves:
 Aged people might face biasness when it comes to the application of the jobs, looking out
for promotions, accessing training or might be harassed in the places of work.
 The balance of the paid work with the care and the duties such as aged people always
have caring attitude towards their young ones and health care.
 Entry to the apt and enough aged care facilities and health care (19).

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 Abuse that involves financial, physical and psychological abuse of elderly people.
 Homelessness and very poor living standards and the dependency to the social security
payments.
 Obstacles in the accessing government services and other chances for involving in the
community life.
Elder people have recognized a variety of fences that stop their occupied contribution in
numerous features of existence. These comprise: community conveyance not being related to
important community buildings and facilities, necessitating people who are fewer moveable to
walk long distances; and fences in public organization such as not having chairs in airfields for
individuals to be able sit down when taking off shoes to go through security.
Participation of Older People Enabling
Minimize the influence of bodily and cognitive ageing: In future, instead of the retreating of the
institutions, older Australians could live smartly, linked to their families which discretely
evaluate their everyday practices and health position. Automatic transport systems & agility
absorbed technology involving exoskeletons can also support people to continue to be mobile
(20).
Bridge geographic distance: Digital technology can eliminate topographical fences by allowing
prompt interaction and distribution of information. Grownup people can stay in touch with
family over Skype, or link with medics through telehealth conferencing.
Control social, intellectual and financial capital: Digital technologies permit people with the
usage of the belongings obtained over a lifespan in new means. New markets like Airbnb could
support produce revenue from under-used items, whether a car, power tools, a skillset or spare
rooms.
Provide info and teaching: As mechanization takes over tasks presently achieved by human
employees, adult people will be weak. Studies advise that older people tend to be further

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pretentious by technology compelled trimming and mostly are less likely to find the other
employment.
Make associates: Digital technology can also ease new influences by connecting individuals with
parallel benefits and requirements. In this way, it will sanction folks to exert more compliantly,
find a soul partner, or donate to a worldwide task force (21).
Solutions for Older people’s rights to be protected
The human rights commission helps the Human rights act for Australia. A Human Rights Act
that comprises human rights like right to passable accommodation, fitness and an satisfactory
customary of living would make a change to the lives of older people in Australia. It will recover
the rules, procedures and facilities that influence on the everyday lives of older people. It could
assist in the prevention of human rights cracks and could deliver cures in cases anywhere those
breaks happen. It would need our administration to inspect how choices influence on the human
rights of older people. If Australia had a Human Rights Act, it could:
 Develop the federal Parliament reflect on how laws influence on human rights – for
example, they would demand to reflect whether an alteration to a law breaks the human
rights of older people.
 Grow the federal government respect the human rights while creating policies – for
example, whilst evolving aged care rules, the government would have to defend the
human rights of older people, counting their right to suitable accommodation and health
care.
 Develop public retainers regard the human rights whilst creating judgments and
supplying assistances – for example, this could comprise of making sure that assistances
are manageable to older people.
Also in Human Rights Act, there is a variety of methods in which the human rights of older
people could be better indorsed and endangered in Australia. For example: improved defense of
human rights in the Australian Composition, consolidation defenses under the ADA, acceptance
of an Equality Act, a National Human Rights Action plan, counting a emphasis on the rights of
ageing populace in Australia.

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Conclusion
This report generates the data on the older aged population of the country Australia. There are a
lot of people who are old aged and they face troubles in the human rights as well. The health care
costs because of the population that is ageing rises. This report in the first half tells about the
numbers of the ageing population and also creates a demographic data of the ageing public in
Australia. There are nearly a few issues which are confronted by the persons of Australia when it
comes to the human rights,. Those issues are mentioned and the solutions of solving these issues
are also discussed. The health care policies which the government of Australia possess with
respect to the old age people are also mentioned and the policy responses to the pubic are also
mentioned. MIPPA is one of the act which was enacted in order to keep a good health care
services for the older aged people. Definition of MIPPA is also mentioned in the report. It is
significant that the rights of the elder public is endangered. Solutions of protecting the rights of
the elder people is also mentioned in this report. The data is based on Australia region.

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